Good Enough - Memories and Hurtful Words - Chapter 4
Author's notes: Hello, everyone! First and foremost, I want to apologize for the time that it took me to upload chapter 5. When I began writing, it was still December and I was at the airport… and suddenly, the terrible and deadliest writer's block attacked me, so I had to go back and re-think what I wanted to do, and how the characters would act… so there you go. Also, I got myself a beta-reader (that sounds like she's an object, so I take it back) - Her name is Louise, and she has been fabulous~
Same thing applies~ any comments, reviews are welcomed. And all characters belong to J.K. Rowling, otherwise I'd be frigging rich. Any similarities with real life is purely coincidental. Any copyright © problem was not intended…
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Previously on Good Enough…
"You're an arse! How could you do something like that to me? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY FRIEND!"
"Friends don't sleep together!"
"And friends don't lie to each other!"
In some other part of London, Hermione apparated in front of Tim's apartment and knocked on the door.
"I'm sorry…" She said in between sobs.
"You didn't have to sleep in the couch you know…" She added walking slowly towards him. "We've been dating for quite a few months…"
"What is your dirty little secret?"
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A few days had passed after Hermione realized that she had to eventually retrieve her things from her tainted apartment. Tim had tried to convince her to do so earlier, but his attempts had been failed. She kept on postponing it, until now that she realized that the few outfits she got, even if bewitched to look different, felt the same. And GAWD! What about her books? She left a good deal of books in there, how could she ever replace those? But-
How many people knew? Andrea does… but who else?
Hermione sighed. She had to face Harry sooner or later…
Better later than sooner…
Funny thing how she went through everything possible when she was only in her first year, funny how she could face a Basilisk in her second, funny how she could face Dementors and be almost killed later on and not be scared at all, but she could not find the courage to face Harry. Suddenly, Hermione had an idea. She would pick her stuff up on Friday night as Harry was probably still out with Andrea. It was a surprise when later that Friday she wished she could take back her brilliant idea.
When she got home,
Home, how different it feels now.
Hermione shut her eyes and sighed to herself. I guess this was my home. She went to her room and started enchanting her stuff and packing. She found some of the gifts Harry had given her… she doubted. Cards, stuffed toys, little tidbits that were so-not-Hermione, but she kept nonetheless… because he was Harry, just Harry. It didn't matter anymore, and all went into the trash bin. She kept on packing.
She packed her things until she found another gift from Harry. She stopped on her tracks and just grabbed the book Harry had given her in their fifth year. She opened the cover and there it was, written in ink:
"Merry Christmas,
Harry"
Hermione gave a small smile. Harry didn't sign things with his last name, just Harry- and that was always enough for her. To her surprise, she closed the book and put it away with the other books.
She was almost with taking her stuff and shrinking it to fit her trunk, when all of a sudden Harry burst into the apartment with his new shag. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her… things packed and ready to leave for good. There was a long pause before anything happened. Him looking at her, and her staring back at him.
She lost it.
Everything came back to her, sleeping with Harry, him lying to her and now shagging someone else. Hermione really felt for Andrea somehow, as bitch as she could be…
"So Harry, where's Andrea?" She asked. "Couldn't come tonight?" She added sarcastically.
"What is she saying, honey?" The new nameless shag asked.
Harry turned slowly towards his shag, and looked at her.
"Sorry… Hmm… Erika, right?" He asked ashamed that she didn't quite remember her name.
Erika nodded.
"I think this is not such a good idea after all." He whispered to her. "You might want to go to your place now…" He tried to be sympathetic. "I am really sorry for this."
When Erika finally left, leaving Harry and Hermione alone to talk.
"So…" Harry said with a long pause. "You're leaving?" He added stating the obvious. DOH!
`"Very smart, Harry." Hermione answered coldly.
"Hermione, we need to talk…" He said desperately. "We need to work things through, so we can be happy again!" Harry added with fake hope.
"You know what you can do to make me happy?" She said beaming.
"What is it?"
"Just leave me alone!" She said trying to push her way through the door.
Harry didn't let her pass. He looked sternly at her and didn't budge. Hermione was losing her temper, and huffed.
"Harry!" She said annoyed.
He couldn't help it, he grinned. He loved how her face frowned when she was mad, and most of all how it wrinkled when she was deep in thoughts. Suddenly, she kicked him out of his reverie.
"Do you think that if I throw a stick you'd leave me?"
His smiled faded. Hermione realized what she just called him, but she wanted to get out of here as fast as possible. This time, Harry let her through. He was hurt.
Hermione walked away with her things. She sighed soundly, and turned towards Harry to find him facing away from her.
"I'm sorry, Harry." She apologized sincerely. "That was uncalled for." She added, but Harry was still not facing her anymore. "I'm sorry." She really meant it. "I guess… sarcasm is just one more service I offer lately."
Hermione waited a while to see if Harry was going to turn, but he didn't. He couldn't turn to her and see her leaving him.
"I'm going, Harry…" She said softly.
Finally, Harry turned quickly.
"Where are you going?" He asked. "I mean…" He started stuttering. "Where are you going to stay?" He said in hope that she would at least tell him.
Hermione looked at him, like she was going to drop all her plans and stay with him. She blinked a few times and turned away.
"Away from you…" She said with a level of sadness in her voice, and walked away.
Harry stood there motionless as Hermione closed the door. He turned around towards his bedroom when he got a glimpse of her empty room, which was calling for him. Harry got in it and saw the neatly placed garbage, rests of him that Hermione didn't bother with anymore; and there it was, blinking in the empty room… her key. Hermione was not coming back. Harry sat down in the middle of the room, in the middle of nothing.
She's left me.
Don't know what you've got `til it's gone, said another voice in his head.
Why did it affect him so? Why was it different from Andrea leaving… or what's-her-name again? Because Hermione is different, and you bloody well know it, replied that other voice.
Harry felt suddenly sick, as the realization of Hermione finally leaving him alone sank, and vomited. He knelt and held himself with his hands on the hard wood floor. He was alone in the cupboard once again, before Hermione… without Hermione. He broke down.
Far and away, Hermione still felt sorry for calling Harry a dog. What's the matter? Said a voice in her head. He very well deserved-
Hermione cut her thoughts, she would never think of Harry like that. She was just not good enough for him… Plain Jane Hermione Granger. Not good enough for him, never good enough for him.
She finally arrived at Tim's place and put her stuff all in a corner. She sat on the sofa, but soon couldn't stand being by herself in that place. Too many thoughts of Harry coming back to her, too many feelings threatening to come out. She'd be better of looking for Tim at the hospital… where was he anyway? His shift was over almost an hour ago.
Hermione decided to take a shower, and if Tim wasn't back by then, she'd go out to look for him at the hospital. She grabbed her things and while she was taking her shower, she felt her insides all tangled up. She closed her eyes and braced herself against the tiles. It hurt. It hurts I can never be what I wish for Harry. Maybe nobody did love her. What are you talking about? Tim loves you. Yes, he does, does he?
Tim was nowhere around when Hermione finished her shower, so she changed into something decent to go out and looked for Tim, wherever he may be. Wait a minute, he has a mobile phone, she said to herself. She went back inside, and called.
Ring, ring
Bollocks! What's the use of having a mobile if you're not keeping it with you?
Hermione grabbed her things once again and went to the hospital where Tim worked. She asked for him, but they told her that his shift was over almost two hours ago, so she was left wondering on Tim's whereabouts. She sighed to herself. Hermione decided to wander around town; at least she would be surrounded by people. She was in no condition to be left by herself; otherwise her thoughts would lead her to thinking about Harry and how much she was hurting.
"Hey, penny for your thoughts?" Asked a handsome guy of black bluish hair.
Hermione woke up from her trance. She was at a club already. How in the name of Merlin did I get here? Apparently, she had just gotten there and the handsome guy of black bluish hair was the bartender. He had a kind face, certainly something needed at this time.
"Penny for my thoughts? I'd be rich by now." She said mildly amused.
"Well, you look much better now that you got rid of that frown." He said smiling. "The name is Ling, Rob Ling." He said looking at her warmly, and holding his hand out.
"Hello, Ling, Rob Ling" She said showing a half-smile and shaking his hand. "Does introducing yourself like James Bond come naturally or you are hitting on me?"
"How can I help you today?" He said holding a beer pint and a shooter.
"Tequila shot, please." She said sighing.
"Bad night, eh?"
"More like a bad week…"
"Wow, that bad?" He said, taking a new shot glass and filling it with Tequila. "Here, it's on me."
Hermione took both shots, and Rob drank one with her too.
"Would you like to talk about it?" He asked.
"Believe me, you don't want to know."
However, after a few more shots of tequila, Hermione was more than a bit too talkative, but she was not overly drunk.
"And he slept with me!" Hermione said.
"So…" Rob said trying to understand. "You are mad at this Harry-guy because he took advantage of you?" He said a bit confused.
"No! I'm mad because he lied to me!" She said as if it were the most regular situation.
"So you didn't mind sleeping with him?"
"Huh-uh!" Hermione nodded.
"Yes, you don't mind or yes, you mind?"
"I didn't mind sleeping with him…"
"But you're with this other guy, Tim…" He said hesitantly.
She nodded, and took another shot.
"Alright, as much as I'm the bartender here… I'm gonna have to stop you from drinking more than I already let you." He said taking her empty shot away.
"But I'm perfectly fine!" She said with a blush on her face.
"You might be fine now, but one more of these babies and you'd pass out. Trust me, I know."
Hermione accepted and paid for what she had drunk. She tried standing up, but all of a sudden she fell to the side, but caught herself before she hit the floor. Rob was in a bit of a shock, and mildly entertained.
"It's not funny…" Hermione said trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Oh, yes it's quite funny." Rob said laughing. "Come on… I'll take you to your place."
"Oh, no, I can't do that. I don't want to get you fired or anything…" She said quickly.
"It's alright, I own the place." He said nonchalantly. He laughed at Hermione's utterly shocked expression. "You wouldn't think I would get away with serving only one client in a night, right? I would kick anyone out, if that happened."
Hermione was a loss for words. Not that she was surprised that Rob was the owner of the place, but she was also quite dizzy, and perhaps even quite drunk.
"Come on! Let me take you to your place…" He said kindly. "My car is just a few blocks away, and I promise I won't lie to you if we sleep together." He said playfully.
Hermione glared at him with indignation, but accepted his offer nonetheless. They walked one or two blocks, Hermione wasn't sure, when she heard some groans coming from somewhere in the shadows, and Oh my God~ She stopped dead on her tracks. Rob looked at her and saw the couple that came out of the darkness into the light looking very ready to do something, and back to Hermione looking flabbergasted.
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Next on Good Enough…
Hermione couldn't believe it, she suddenly felt sick, and slowly backed away.
"Oh my God, Hermione! Are you okay?" Rob asked worried.
At the mention of Hermione's name, the couple stopped what they were doing and they looked at Hermione in shock. He stepped out of the shadow.
They looked almost like Christmas decoration in the middle of July, out of place.
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